Free ball

[sacko7]

Hi all,
I cannot find an explanation of "free ball". It was given to me, I took a shot and was fouled. Can someone please tell me where I can learn about this ?
Thanks

[Juggernaut]

Edited:

Hi Sacko7,

ahhh, Wizard to the rescue!!!

[Wizard]

Hi all,
I cannot find an explanation of "free ball". It was given to me, I took a shot and was fouled. Can someone please tell me where I can learn about this ?
Thanks

Hi sacko7

I will try to give my best explanation of the "free ball" scenario with some examples

First here's the definition of a snooker...The description applied when a player cannot see a straight-line path between the cue ball and the ball that is “on”, because another ball that the player must not hit is obstructing the cue ball.

A "free" ball is awarded when the player is snookered (cannot directly hit any side of the target ball) after a foul shot has been played. In this situation the player can nominate any ball (including one they are technically snookered for if they wish) and pot it for the value of the original target ball. Play then proceeds as if they had hit the original target ball. If they nominate a colour as their free ball and pot it, the coloured ball is then returned to it's spot (if available...usual rules for re-spotting apply)

Examples:

1. Target ball is red but player is technically snookered for any of the remaining reds on the table. Player nominates a colour (yellow through black) and pots the nominated ball for a score of 1 (same value as target ball red). The colour is then returned to its spot (if available). Player then plays a colour (the same as if they had potted a red) and play proceeds red, colour, red, colour etc...

2. Only the colours remain and a foul is made leaving the opponent snookered for the next colour. Again a "free ball" is awarded. The opponent may pot any colour on the table for the same value as the target ball. That colour is then respotted and play proceeds as usual in colour order. So let's say all 6 colours are left on the table so the target ball is the yellow but you are snookered for it and have a "free ball". You can nominate and pot any of the other colours for the value of the yellow (2). The potted ball then returns to the table and you are then required to pot the balls in order (hence in this example yellow next) for their usual value.

3. Just to give another example let's say only pink and black remain but your opponent has fouled and left you snookered for the pink (obstructed by the black) with again a "free ball". You can nominate the black, pot it for 6 points (value of the pink), black is then re-spotted and you then play the pink followed by the black as usual.

Hoping that gives you an idea of what a "free ball" is and when the rule is applied.

[ALB]

The Free ball rule is not applied correctly as I understand it.

The ref bot appears to not be able to differentiate between the colours of the balls, you have to see both sides of the ball on but if its a red it cannot be obscured by other reds. ie if you take some of the reds out of the way so that you can then hit either side of a red it is not a free ball.

That's how I have always seen the rule ? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Great game BTW

Cheers, John.

[SquaredCue]

The Free ball rule is not applied correctly as I understand it.

I'm quite certain this rule is applied correctly indeed.

...a red it cannot be obscured by other reds. ie if you take some of the reds out of the way so that you can then hit either side of a red it is not a free ball.

Exactly! And this is how the built-in referee does it.

If you think some ref calls are wrong, please save the last (foul) shot and post the sqrep://... link.

[Wizard]

No offence intended John, but you are wrong. It's line of sight mate. If you can't aim at the target ball, be it a red or any other colour and hit it either extreme left or right side, it's a free ball. It's that simple. There are no rules to say you can remove the reds from line of sight. If you are on a red that's the target ball. If you can't hit any red as they lie on the table either side after a foul, then it's a free ball. I appreciate your input and the time you took to wait to talk to me about it while I was busy losing my final, but I can't make it clearer with 50 years plus experience playing the game. It's that simple. Target ball = red. Can you hit any red either side? If the answer is no, it's a free ball. Same applies if the target ball is any other colour after any foul when there are no reds left on the table.
https://www.cueandcase.co.uk/blogs/blog ... ree%20ball.
Hopefully you can have a read of that and understand I was not trying to offend you but merely explain the rule. I believe you may have been misled by one of those sites that gives you a "freebie" rather than sticks to the rules as they stand.

[ALB]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhJp7HzIBtI

Squared agrees ?

Watch the free ball section
Cheers, John.

[SquaredCue]

If you can't aim at the target ball, be it a red or any other colour and hit it either extreme left or right side, it's a free ball. It's that simple.

It's actually not that simple. When you are checking both edges of a specific red. you have to consider the other reds as if they were absent, because the official rule says that a ball on cannot be snookered by another ball on, red in this case.

There are no rules to say you can remove the reds from line of sight.

There indeed IS such a rule, namely, section 2, rule 17 in the official rules:
"17. Snookered
The cue-ball is snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to every ball on is wholly or partially obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If one or more balls on can be hit at both extreme edges free of obstruction by any ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered."


This rule is referred to from the free ball rule, which is written in section 3, rule 12:
"12. Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered (see Section 2 Rule 17), the referee shall call FREE BALL."

The simplified text would look like this, using Wizard's text:

Target ball = red. Can you hit any red either side if all other reds are removed? If the answer is no, it's a free ball.

The www.cueandcase.co.uk site presents only a simplified overview and does not explain the tricky cases correctly. Whenever the exact rules are needed, check the WPBSA website.

[SquaredCue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhJp7HzIBtI

Squared agrees ?

Watch the free ball section
Cheers, John.

Yes, Barry Stark explains the free ball rule correctly.

[ALB]

Thank you all for your input, it was clear as I said in the chat box that this is a misunderstood rule, during some games it appeared to me that the rule wasn't being applied correctly hence my original query, Squared cue assures me the rule is applied correctly so that answers my question, although I can only imagine how difficult this was to code with the complexity of a "ball in hand" situation.

My hat goes of to the genius programming.

Cheers, John.